Bringing ideas to life: How BUILD will transform care, step by step

About the Project

Person-centred care is a global movement aimed at (re)humanizing health services. It represents an inclusive philosophy in the planning and delivery of healthcare, focusing on people (rather than diseases) as the central concern. The metaphor of “seeing the person behind the patient” encapsulates the core idea of person-centredness in healthcare, and distinguishes it from patient-centredness. Moreover, the focus on all individuals in the system—including caregivers and relatives—adds a significant conceptual dimension.

In person-centred care systems, health and social care professionals collaborate with service users. With an emphasis on integrated care systems, the coordination of care and the safeguarding of continuity are recognized as fundamental principles of PCC. Achieving this involves focusing on patients’ narratives and care experiences, while organizing care around the needs of individuals.

It is crucial that a person-centred integrated care system is always value-based, meaning it must ensure that all individuals are treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.

Drawing on established theoretical frameworks of person-centred care, the core principle of person-centred health systems is the protection of personhood. Care is guided by the demands and needs of the person (needs-oriented care), decisions are made collaboratively (shared decision-making), and individuals are empowered to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to manage and make informed decisions about their own health and healthcare (empowerment).

If integrated care systems are to be truly person-centred, these principles must be applied at multiple levels—individual, interpersonal, organizational, and systemic—and must guide the design of structures, processes, and outcomes.

To consistently implement the principle of person-centredness, a participatory, co-creative, and inclusive approach is pursued in the development of integrated care systems.

Authors: Hanna Mayer, Martin Wallner, UBT Partner